


Friendship Bracelets

by RiverOfTearsSweetie



Series: IronStrange Drabbles [2]
Category: MCU, Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Mistakes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-17
Updated: 2019-08-17
Packaged: 2020-09-05 22:21:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 697
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20280766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RiverOfTearsSweetie/pseuds/RiverOfTearsSweetie
Summary: Stephen makes Tony a friendship bracelet. Stupid mistakes and fluff ensue.





	Friendship Bracelets

Stephen had been going to movement therapy for his hands since the accident, and there were easily as many good days as bad. Tony hated the number of times Stephen had come home from work early, his hands shaking so badly he couldn’t even write or type. He hated how silently Stephen sobbed when Tony had to feed him dinner on the really bad days, shaking so badly he couldn’t even hold a fork. He hated how everyone stared. 

But, every time there was a particularly bad day, Tony would come home to a small gift from Stephen, sometimes a tux, sometimes a couples massage voucher, sometimes a dinner reservation and his unreserved attention. They used to fight about it, but Tony had long since learned to let Stephen feel like he was doing something - even if it was something small. 

Stephen had been having good days lately, so Tony wasn’t expecting a gift, which means he was pleasantly surprised when he found a small box on the pillow of his bed.

What he didn’t expect, though, was the woven friendship bracelet resting inside.

Stephen’s soft exclamation of “Do you like it?” Was followed by 4 seconds of complete silence before Tony broke down into peals of laughter.

He laughed so much he could barely breathe, bending over in great, heaving breaths.

He stopped laughing, however, when he raised his head and saw Stephens face. His face looking sadder and looking more hurt than he’d ever remembered the Doctor being in the five wonderful years they had been married.

“Stephen?” Tony stood up, concerned. “Baby, talk to me I’m sorry. It’s just” Tony almost started laughing again and took a deep breath. “It’s just not what I expected that’s all.”

Stephen’s face seemed to break in half, and he turned and walked down the hallway, ignoring the pleading coming from the direction of the bedroom.

He finally turned around when Tony grabbed his arm and Tony stopped cold. He was crying. Crying. Dr. Stephen Strange, Avenger, Chosen One, the best surgeon in America, the powerful sorcerer, was crying. Crying so. Fucking. Hard.

“I - I - Oh my God baby I’m so sorry! Please, I’m so sorry. Talk to me honey, tell me what’s wrong. Fuck - just talk to me babe, please.”

Tony grabbed Stephens shaking hands and pulled them to his chest.

“I made it Tony. Me.” 

Stephen looked down at his hands, and Tony realized his mistake. 

His husband, his beautiful strong husband, who had been going to movement therapy for years and making what seemed like no progress had made these. These tiny, intricate bracelets with hundreds of tiny, intricate knots and pieces of tiny, tiny strands of string on a tiny, tiny working-board. He had spent what had most likely been HOURS slaving over this project just to give it to Tony and Tony, being the idiot he was had fucking laughed.

Tony brought Stephens’ hands to his heart and felt the subtle shake and God, that just made this whole thing so much worse. 

“Baby, hey, hey look at me.” Tony gently lifted Stephens’ face, putting a hand against tear-stained cheeks.

“I am so, so, so sorry baby. I know that’s not enough and honestly, I don’t know what the hell I can do to make this up to you it’s just I - I’m still not too great at the whole emotions thing, and I know that’s an excuse and you deserve so much more than excuses but I just-” He paused. “I just love you so fucking much Stephen. I’m so sorry. Please. I love the bracelets. I love your effort, and your work-ethic so, so much. I’d love for you to teach me to make them baby. I’m so, so happy for you and I'm really fucking sorry. So, so fucking sorry. I reacted like such an idiot. Please, let me make it up to you.”

Tony finished, and maybe it wasn’t the best apology ever, and maybe he needs to work on reacting differently, and maybe he’ll need to make it up eventually, but right now, all that matters is that Stephen has stopped crying, and his hands have stopped shaking.


End file.
